Christmas Lights
by Em Kay Who
Summary: "When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest of things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness." - Bob Hope


**A/N: This is my Secret Santa gift for sequencefairy over on tumblr! She gave me three Doctor/Rose pairings and three prompts and I couldn't choose so I used all of them!**

 **Prompts:** _"The things we do for love'_

 _'Can we agree to disagree about this?'_

 _Something something Christmas lights and Rose's skin and the way her eyes light up when she smiles"_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or anything related.**

* * *

"Rockefeller Center," the Doctor announced as he lead his companions out of the TARDIS.

"Oh my god," Rose gasped. "Look at this place! It looks just like it does on the telly."

Jack smirked and patted the Time Lord's back. "Not bad, Doc. I wonder if there are any Rockettes about..."

"Don't even think about it," he warned the former Time Agent.

Rose's face lit up with delight and mischief. Saddling up to the Doctor, she looped her arm through his. "Oh, but the Rockettes, Doctor! You can't bring us here at Christmastime and then _not_ take us to see the Rockettes. Come on! It'll be brilliant."

The Doctor sighed. He hadn't originally planned on bringing his companions here. After Woman Wept he had wanted to take them to see the Glass Pyramids of San Kaloon, someplace nice and warm after some place so cold, but after seeing the beautiful frozen planet of Woman Wept, Rose decided she was in the mood for Christmas movies. Christmas movies! How Domestic was that? And then suddenly the Doctor found himself ensconced in the media room. It wasn't until Jack pointed out that Rockefeller Center was featured in three out of the four Christmas movies they watched that Rose mentioned her dream of going there someday.

"It's classic," she declared. "The tree, the lights, all of it. Classic."

And so the Doctor changed his plans. Sure, he would still take his companions to San Kaloon, but first they were going to Rockefeller Center in New York, New York.

"You know they're not even originally from New York. They started in St. Louis, Missouri and were known as the 'Missouri Rockets,'" he informed his companions.

"That's fascinating," Rose responded, curling herself closer around his arm. "So can we go see the pretty dancers now?"

He shook his head. In the soft evening light, Rose seemed to glow. The Christmas lights, having just turned on, glittered and gleamed in her eyes, and the Doctor felt his breath catch. Blimey, she was gorgeous. And she rarely asked much of him, content to go along with whatever he had planned for them and whatever he didn't plan for them. If she wanted to go see a holiday dance show, he would take her to a holiday dance show.

"Fine," he acquiesced. "We'll go see the Radio City Rockettes perfor-oof!" he was cut off by Rose throwing her arms around his neck.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed. Pulling away, she gave him the tongue in teeth grin that haunted his dreams. "And maybe after the show we could go ice skating?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Rose, I don't ice skate."

"Don't, won't, or can't?"

"Rose..."

"Guess I'll just have to skate with Jack then," she told him airily. "I'm sure he won't mind me holding on to him tight to make sure I won't fall."

Oh, she was good. She was very good. He looked to Jack, who smartly stayed quiet, but did throw the Doctor a cheeky wink. Rolling his eyes he said, "Oh, all right. After the show we'll all go ice skating. Happy?"

"Yes!" she responded enthusiastically, giving him another hug before scurrying back inside the TARDIS.

"Where are you going?" he asked. "I thought you wanted to see the Rockettes?"

"I need to change outfits!" she called back.

Of course she did. He shook his head in fond exasperation. "Grab a scarf while you're in there. It's cold out and I can't have you catching your death." Leaning against the TARDIS, he waited for her to return.

"The things we do for love," Jack stated, sliding up next to him. "Eh, Doctor?"

The Doctor eyed him carefully. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I've said it before and I'll say it again. You two are so cute."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The former Time Agent threw his head back in laughter. "Of course you don't."

* * *

"I can't believe we're really here," Rose said in awe as the Doctor lead her out of the TARDIS, clutching her hand tightly. After a trip to a planet circling a black hole and fearing that they would never see each other (or the TARDIS) again, neither cared for the idea of straying far from the other. Rose was sure that given time that they wouldn't feel the constant need to be attached at the hip, but for the moment, she was content staying by his side.

"Well, I've been wanting to take you here for ages. Barcelona. The planet, not the city," he reminded her.

She smiled brightly taking in the sights around her. It was night, two moons lighting the sky, and there were fairy lights everywhere she looked. "Hold on, is it Christmas?"

The Doctor took a deep breath. "Yep, it would seem that way, or at least this planet's version. They actually took a lot of inspiration from Barcelona on Earth. This area here is very reminiscent of the Plaza de Catalunya, which boasts some pretty impressive light displays during the holiday season."

"Huh. Well, this place is giving them a run for their money. We should go the Earth one next to compare," she suggested.

He smiled down at her. "Done. But for now, let's take in the sights, shall we?"

Walking hand in hand, the pair made their way around the main city of the planet Barcelona, the Doctor pointing out all the similarities and differences between the planet they were currently on and its namesake. As the night went on, the crowd of Barcelonions, who Rose discovered were humanoid in features with lavender skin, grew thicker and thicker.

"What are all these people crowing around for?" she finally asked.

"Ah! If my time sense is correct, and it usually is, we are just in time for..." he tightened his hold on her hand and raced around the corner. "The Queen's Speech."

Rose gaped at the sight of the large palace that seemed to dominate an expansive parcel of land. "Wow."

"Oh, yes. While the design on this palace is based slightly off of the one in Barcelona, it's pretty unique to this planet. And that," he gestured to the woman standing on a tall pedestal, her image being projected onto large, various screens so the masses could see her properly, "is Queen Accalia."

"Blimey," Rose exhaled. Queen Accalia was tall, with her pale lavender skin and shimmering brown eyes. Her dark hair flowed in large curls past her shoulders. Her cream coloured ball gown trimmed in white fur reminded Rose of a holiday Barbie her granddad had given to her one Christmas when she was a little girl. "She's gorgeous."

"She'll eventually be known as the most beautiful woman on the entire planet of Barcelona," the Doctor told her as the Queen gave her heartfelt speech about the peace and joy that can come with holidays.

She snorted in amusement. "Cor! I think she's might be the most beautiful woman on any planet."

He shrugged. "Perhaps in some's opinions. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that. To me, she's a beautiful person, but not the most beautiful. Not by a long shot."

"Well, when you've lived as long as you have, I imagine you've seen lots of attractive beings."

"Oi! Are you calling me old?"

Rose giggled. "I didn't say it..."

The Doctor shook his head in mock exasperation. With how stressful their travels had been lately, it was nice to see her relaxed and laughing, even if it was at his expense. He'd meant what he told her, of course. He thought Queen Accalia was a lovely woman, but she was not the most beautiful he'd ever seen. Oh no. That title belonged to someone else entirely. He smiled down at his companion, her blonde hair glowing from the fairy lights that littered the palace and it's grounds. It reminded him of a time, not that long ago in the grand scheme of things, when Rose burned with power of the Time Vortex. She was gorgeous and terrifying. She was a goddess, willing to sacrifice herself for him. He would never not be thankful that he was able to spare her from burning up. He would give every regeneration he had so that she could live. And Rose Tyler was so alive. Feeling a nudge to his side, the Doctor realised the crowd around them was breaking up. Lost in thought as he was, he had completely missed the bulk of the Queen's Speech.

"Come on," he urged, "I believe I promised you dogs with no noses."

"Are you okay, Doctor?" she asked as he tugged her down the street, away from the palace.

"What do you mean?"

"You just looked lost in thought back there."

He sucked in a deep breath. He could tell her the truth. After their trip to New Earth and dropping off Cassandra with her former self, he and Rose had sat down for a long talk. It had been painful, telling her exactly what happened on the Game Station when she returned for him with the TARDIS, but in the end it only made them closer. If that was at all possible. But he still wasn't sure if he wanted to tell her that he was thinking about when she was the Bad Wolf and how bloody beautiful was was and still is. "I was just thinking about how glad I am to be here with you."

She smiled and him, knowing he wasn't being one hundred percent truthful, but also knowing that he wasn't the greatest at sharing his feelings. "I'm really glad I'm here with you too."

"Mmmm," he hummed happily, swinging their joined hands between them.

"Look, Doctor!" Rose exclaimed, pointing in the distance. "Ice skating!"

"Well, it's similar to ice skating, yes, but that's not ice. It's actually a substance called Glacien. It's cold and solid, like ice, but there's more give to it if you fall."

"You mean if you fall."

The Doctor gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "Me?! Fall!? I think you're remembering incorrectly, Rose Tyler. It was you who kept falling on her bum."

"Only because you kept pulling me down when you fell," she retorted, lightly smacking his chest.

"Poor little human. Your memory's all addled from all those falls to your bum," he teased, thinking back on the time he took her ice skating at Rockefeller Center.

Rose threw her head back, laughing. "That doesn't make any sense. Must be from all the falls YOU took!"

"Now, Rose," he started to argue.

Cutting him off, she said, "Can we agree to disagree about this?"

"Fine," he conceded. "I'm assuming you want to go Glacien skating?"

"Yes! But only after you show me these famed dogs with no noses."

"Agreed."

* * *

"And then I was thinking that tomorrow evening we could go driving around looking at Christmas lights."

The Doctor nodded, but to be honest, wasn't focusing on what exactly the woman in front of him was saying. She could have telling him that she would find him more attractive if he shaved his head and he would have agreed. Blimey, she was stunning. Rose Tyler. She never failed to take his breath away, but sometimes there were these lithe moments. These little moments when she would be doing the simplest tasks like folding laundry, watching telly, or decorating their Christmas tree, like she was right now, where he could have sworn he was a full Time Lord again, because there was no way his one single human heart could hold all the love he had for her.

"So what do you think?"

"Huh?" He shook out of his thoughts.

She smiled at him indulgently. "Do you want to go look at Christmas lights tomorrow? There's this great little neighbourhood Jessica in HR told me about where you can get out and walk around. Some of the homes even have little stands where they sell hot chocolate and and other treats. Thought it might be nice. I was gonna call my mum and see if they wanted to go and take Tony. Is that okay with you?"

"Oh, sure. Sounds lovely."

"Great! I'll give my mum a call later," she told him as she finished the tree by placing the star on the very top. "There we go! Flip off the lamp, will ya."

Doing as he was told, the Doctor watched as his wife admired the Christmas tree she had been working so hard on all evening. Oh, he had helped with untangle the strands of fairy lights, and gave various opinions on where certain baubles should hang, but for the most part, Rose took the lead. It was a job he knew she cherished, this year especially. It wasn't their first, second, or even third Christmas together, but there was something special about this one in particular. The main reason was being lifted into Rose's arms.

"Do you see the pretty lights, Harmony?" she asked, holding their ten month old daughter up to the tree, but far enough away that she couldn't grab anything breakable.

"Li! Li!" their little girl squealed, clapping her hands.

The Doctor chuckled at her enthusiasm. She was so like her mother, not just in looks, but in her excitement for life. Already, in her ten months of life, she had brought so much joy to their lives. He couldn't help but choke back tears as Rose danced Harmony around the Christmas tree. Her skin was glowing in the ambiance created by the coloured Christmas lights and for once the Doctor didn't immediately think about her dalliance with the Time Vortex. Instead, he thought about how beautiful she looked as she brought their daughter into the world. The way her eyes were lighting up as she smiled down at their baby girl... The Doctor wished he could bottle the feeling it gave him and send it to his other self in their original universe. He would forever be grateful for the opportunity he was given to have this adventure with Rose.

"Da! Da! Da!"

Pulling away from his thoughts, he was greeted by the sight of his daughter reaching out for him from his wife's arms. "Hello, my precious girl." He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "Do you like the Christmas lights?"

"You know, we've seen some pretty impressive Christmas displays throughout time and space, but I think this," Rose gestured to their Christmas tree filled with lights and mismatched ornaments and baubles, "might be my favourite."

He laughed and leaned down to press his lips to hers. "Mine too."

"Good."

"You know I had an idea-"

"Uh-oh," she injected.

He frowned at her. "Hush you. I think we should go ice skating. We haven't done that in ages!"

Rose giggled. "Are you sure you want to try that again? There's no Glacien here to soften your fall."

"Who says I'm going to fall? You were the one who couldn't stay on her feet!"

"Agree to disagree, Doctor," she reminded him in a song-song voice. "Now come on! Your daughter needs a bath before bed."

The Doctor sighed and shook his head. "The things I do for love."


End file.
